Congratulations to Biola’s Fall Graduating Class of 2016

New York Times best-selling author and award winning writer Nabeel Qureshi addressed the graduates on Dec.16

More than 400 Biola University students graduated on Friday, Dec. 16 in two ceremonies on Biola’s campus. In addition to the approximately 160graduate and 260 undergraduate students, Biola inducted 19 undergraduate students into Biola’s honor society, Epilson Kappa Epsilon — a prestigious award given to students who have excelled in academics and in community involvement during their time at Biola.

Itinerant speaker and New York Times best-selling author, Dr. Nabeel Qureshi, delivered Biola’s Fall 2016 Commencement address. Following the release of Qureshi’s first book, “Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus,” he received the Christian Book Award for the categories of both 'Best New Author' and 'Best Non-Fiction' of 2015.

Qureshi addressed graduates in both ceremonies. For the first time in Biola’s history, Biola split the ceremonies into two groups determined by academic schools instead of graduate and undergraduate students. The 2 p.m. ceremony included Cook School of Intercultural Studies, Crowell School of Business, Rosemead School of Psychology and Talbot School of Theology. The 7 p.m. ceremony included School of Education, Division of Fine Arts and Communications, Division of Humanities and Social Sciences and School of Science, Technology and Health.

Qureshi focuses on the foundations of the Christian faith, ancient Judaism, early Islam and the interface of science and religion in his work. On Friday, he touched on his current personal journey of faith as he is battling stomach cancer and urged the graduates to spread life into the world.

“I’m talking about telling people about the life-giving, world-altering God,” said Qureshi. “We are the life for this world.”

Students and those in attendance expressed their appreciation for Qureshi’s message, calling it moving and impactful. Qureshi has a degree in Christian apologetics from Biola’s Talbot School of Theology and has lectured at more than 100 universities in the United States and Europe and has participated in 18 public debates around North America, Europe and Asia.

More than 800 viewers combined tuned into Biola's live stream of the ceremonies.